Fake it until you make it. This motivational phrase and sentiment is passed along by many in the sports world. The idea is that to achieve the goals one wants to accomplish, one must believe first that it’s possible. That person may not have accomplished anything yet, but with some focused effort on the cause, in time goals can be met and then be exceeded. Hardly anyone ever begins at the top; it takes a lot of time “pretending” to be a champion (or believing in the possibility of being a champion) before one does finally become that champion.
It has been very true in my case with Olympic-style weightlifting. I began lifting in the year 2000 at the age of 12. I played some sports like football, but wasn’t an outstandingly strong child, and didn’t have remarkable numbers. My first competition I clean & jerked a weight of about 83 pounds, which in the weightlifting world is nothing spectacular. But I kept with it because of the challenge, and because I could see that by working towards the simple goal of lifting more, I was getting stronger slowly but surely accomplishing those goals.
It wasn’t until 2013 that I won my first national championship in weightlifting. Over 13 years after I started. However, I could also argue that it wasn’t until I began to believe that I could win a championship, that I actually won a championship. Before then, I thought getting to the top of the podium was possible, but only so much. It may happen, but then again, maybe not. But the summer before the Nationals in 2013, I began to tell myself that not only was becoming a champion possible, but that it was mine to have. I could and would become that champion. When I changed the way I was thinking, I changed my perceptions on my limitations. Weights that seemed impossible before now seemed only improbable, and then possible, and then accomplished. I “faked” thinking like and being like a champion, and became one. I am now a 3-time national champion and my best clean and jerk is 506 pounds. Only 4 other Americans have clean and jerked over 500 pounds. When you believe, truly believe, in the possibility of your dreams, it can be done through focused effort and the passage of time.
I wish that I could say the same for my Christian life. As a Christian, I find myself standing still too often, when I should be moving. Stagnating instead of budding, growing. Remaining silent instead of speaking out. This is something I’m learning to overcome, to be bolder in my belief in Christ.
I think it is a good reminder to many to “fake it until you make it.” For we are not side by side with Christ yet, are we? Has this corruption been made incorrupt? No, we are still mortal; we are still flesh, and we battle it daily. However, if we strive to be like Christ, to be perfect as he was, we are working ourselves, preparing ourselves for the gift of salvation through Jesus. If we strive to be Christ-like, we will become closer to attaining that goal; to be sons and daughters of Almighty God.
We begin in this world as imperfect beings, and God has found something in us to grant us a drop of his mercy and bring us out of this world. This begins our journey to the goal of salvation. Still, it is a struggle, constantly, because not everything is perfectly understood, and our highest thoughts are still lesser than His simplest thinking. But in time we will all understand. “For now we see through a glass, darkly,…” (1 Cor. 13:12, KJV)
But we must remain focused on God, on faith in His Son, and on obedience. What we devote our focus to will sculpt our thoughts and minds and ultimately our actions. “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:5 KJV) Believe and focus in your walk with God.
One other thing I have learned through my weightlifting is that goals will never be met, unless one tries. I have had some lofty goals in my weightlifting, but I aim for higher goals still. I may never achieve them, but I will never know if I am capable of those goals until I try.
I pray for you, for I – for us all to try, brethren.
